This Blog is about the Seattle Thunderbirds Hockey Team, the Western Hockey League and hockey in general. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Seattle Thunderbirds or their management, or the Western Hockey League or their management.

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Tyler Hunnex - I started/founded/began Let's Go Birds in September of 2007 after feeling like my favorite Junior Hockey team needed more discussion and analysis. I'm statistically minded, forever frustrated by the Tbirds and my all-time favorite player was #10. I think I'm funny and my writing would probably disagree. Follow me on Twitter @TylerHunnex.

Jon Whiting - Jon joined the Let's Go Birds team in the summer of 2013. His passion for the Thunderbirds is as big as any fan I've ever met. His two kids are named after former Tbirds and his favorite all-time players were Patrick Marleau and Olaf "Ole" Kjenstad, who he swears is the best pure scoring Tbird ever.

Game 7 Thread - Seattle at Kelowna

45 comments
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I'm on pins and needles. Kelownas got a lot of really tired players due to all their injuries. I think our guys can do it if we can keep a strong forechecking going and grind them down early. Of course a little puck luck and some stellar goaltending wouldn't hurt either.

No Hickman or Honey, the Birds will have a tough time tonight. I have an erie feeling this will be like the last two games last season, where Seattle lost a heart breaker to Everett on a Saturday to clinch a playoff spot. Then on Sunday had a chance to beat Portland and really were not in the game.

Valiant effort by the boys, but I think the playoff ride ends tonight.

Good game, good series. I'm sad they couldn't get it done, but I'm proud that they played good games (for the most part) and really pushed Kelowna. I think they gained a lot of valuable experience for next year in the process.

I hope they all have a productive offseason and can make a deeper run next year.

Can't even say a negative thing, they pushed a top 5 chl team to desperation mode a bounce here or there and we have them. I hope the past few weeks are a sign of things to come. I wish the best for Lockhart, kambeitz, and glover... I hope barzal likes what he saw his talents would sure come in handy for that power play we couldn't get going. Til next season!

I can't help but wonder how this series might've been different with a healthy Branden Troock out there. Oh well, I can't say anything negative, the boys played their hearts out. Can't wait for next season!

Hell, I think even with Honey out there for games five through seven, the outcome would've been different. Not a knock on Kolesar, who looked pretty good from what I saw in game six and sounded good in game seven, but Honey is a good scorer.

Yeah, I'm kinda sick of hearing how Kelowna overcame without so many players in the lineup but none of the media mentions Seattle was missing Alos, Troock, Honey and Hickman by the time game six and seven rolled around.

Great ride for the boys, look forward to next year. I hope Gropp and Barzal consider signing with us. What might have been if we could be even 50% on the PP, but this experience can only help going into next year. Thanks to Tyler for putting up the board and also letting us vent on here.

From Thom Beuning's In The Corners : Next up for the Thunderbirds is the WHL Bantam Draft in early May. For the second straight year, Seattle will have two first round picks (8,22) and a high pick in Round Two (27th overall). Seattle has a great opportunity to build a roster that can compete at the top of the league for the next 4-5 years.

With the draft history of this franchise and iability to ever to compete at the top of the league for 4-5 years I just can't see this happening.

Yeah, there were quite a few conspiracy theories flung around after the Honey suspension, too. I don't buy them, of course, but the league was pretty heavy-handed in their suspensions, given that it was playoff time.

Hickman's 4 sounds right for the situation, but that just means baillie is looking a 4 minimum now as well. Too bad for them, Portland is going to cruise into the championship round now with the others beaten up.

Reality hit me when T-Birds sent me a message that Glover, I knew it but never admitted, is gone next season. WOW! This next year will be ANOTHER rebuilding year. The team looked good during the playoffs but Glover stood on his head to make some saves and kept this team in the playoffs. Good news, the team never quit. They kept playing and playing. Step forward but we need a goalie for next season. BTW after this series who was last years goalie? Discuss...how do we replace Glover?

I think Mumaugh will be ok, but I think they will want a older goalie to carry the load. Seattle definitely needs to do a better job developing goalies. The last 3-4 years the starters have been playing way too many games, I understand that Pickard was our best player for most of that time, but the backup has to get some games to develop.

Options for goalie:1) The T-birds could always trade for another goalie. I hope they can get a 19 year old if they do that. 2) They could trade Delnov or Lipsberg and take a Euro goalie in the import draft. 3) They could roll the dice and go with the goalies they have in their system. Myles seems to have been banged up pretty good in the car crash since it cost him most of the year. I'm not sure the T-birds will want to go with a 17 year old goalie as their starter. I'm not sure who else they have that is signed. I know they had their pick from last year dressed for one or two games earlier this year so he seems to be signed, but I don't think they want to go with a 16 year old either :)

I disagree it will be another rebuilding year. As it stands now the T-birds return 7 of their top 8 scorers by points per game. They return all of their defensemen and I think they will be pretty solid on the blue line and they can probably use some of them to trade to fill forward or goalie needs. I think Elliot might have opened some eyes with how he played in the playoffs and might have some trade value, but I think that Saskatoon will be flooding the 20 trade market (like have their roster will be 20's) so it might not be much. I also think the players that returned this year improved a lot over the previous year, it was like they actually worked on hockey in the offseason. I hope that becomes the norm under this coaching staff. Hopefully the team can take another step forward and get more toward the middle of the standings for the playoffs next year.

Liked what I saw out of Mumaugh in his last few games. I believe Tyler threw a couple of names out there as far as 20's the Birds could bring in, Cole Chevledale, Corbin Boes, etc.

I also don't think next season will be a rebuilding year, Marc makes very sound points about the D men coming back as well as the top scoring forwards, after Barzal signs this could be a nice group of forwards. Although I'm not sure I agree that Elliot has trade value.

While I don't think the Birds are going to win the division next season, I do think the competition will be better, Portland, Spokane, and Tri City are all losing some big names, Feser, Rattie, Kitchton etc. Not that I think those teams are going to be terrible but they won't be as good as they were this season. I don't think the Birds should be counting on that but its something to think about.

Hawks might be losing Rattie, but the other leading scorers in the WHL return in Leispic and Petan. The Hawks will not be as strong on the D- line with there top 4 d-men gone, especially if Seth Jones does not come back. Their back up goalie Burke played a lot of minutes, and at 18 year old should be ready for the Number 1 goalie.

let us discuss the future...Thom needs to move on. A minor league team is looking to replace their announcer after 60 years. Smaller market, 8th longest professional hockey team while having bigger audience; despite the smaller audiance. Thom is the best in the hockey and needs to move on. Love Thom and his broadcasts...best in the business. I would place him next to the legend "Doc."

Thanks for the heads up on these articles. Nice to hear that Benn is playing pro and appreciated by his team. The Kelowna fans one made me smile. I guess I should have written to a paper or Drinnan directly with my feelings on the Honey suspension that assisted Kelowna in advancing to the 2nd round. What comes around goes around.

Do you people on here know sports!! Myles has basicaly missed 2 whole years of development with injuries, yet some of you think he can just step in and play at this level and play well. That would be a long shot at best. I guarantee Seattle brings in a 19 or 20 year old to be the starter. Mumuagh is a back up at best as well.

Rumors, though not even close to being true as of right now, are Canucks may relocate their AHL team to the Key. Which fans will travel to the Key to see the AAA AHL team vs WHL junior Kent team if the rumor becomes true?

There are other team in the league that play in a configuration similar to the Key Arena, San Antonio is the first that comes to mind.

What I would fear is why they are looking at it. If it's to judge the hockey market then that could be bad because some fans are professional fans so they might not pull the fans that they expect to see if we were to get a NHL team which could effect the chances of landing a NHL team.

For me if I can afford it would look at getting tickets for both. The more hockey the better!!!